Cookies
by insidethevoid
Summary: College AU One Shot based on: I know I keep coming to the cookie shop and for some reason it's always your shift but don't you dare judge me I need these for my sanity


The 24 hour cookie shop was the greatest invention mankind had to offer. Three a.m. was creeping in and Laurel considered the only flaw of the shop, no delivery, as she walked through campus towards the soft glow of the neon sign. This semester was kicking her ass, who knew aspiring lawyers ran on energy drinks and cookies.

A tiny bell rang as she pushed the door open. The shop wasn't particularly busy. Perfect. The quicker Laurel could get her cookies the sooner she could get back to studying. The students who chose to set up camp in the cookie shop didn't look any better off than she did. She surveyed the tables as she waited in line: one student was using her textbooks for pillows, another was typing with the speed of seven coffees, and a third just looked like he wanted to start screaming. Ah, midterms.

Finally, she was next. Laurel was going to kick this exam's ASS and she was going to do it with baked goods and abnormal sleeping patterns.

"Welcome to Cookie Kingdom! We bake 'em, you take 'em!" Laurel groaned out loud, but accidentally, she swears.

"Yeah, it's a bad slogan but the cookies are great! But you knew that. I think. Or the cookies are really bad and you hate yourself," he said.

The boy with the long hair and the eyes full of pre-syllabus day hope was on register duty every time she'd come in to the shop for the past two weeks. Two weeks of half a dozen late night cookies.

"The cookies are not bad, trust me, uh…" she leaned in a little bit to pretend to read his nametag. Two weeks? Of course she knew his name. But why creep out the attractive cashier? "Cisco."

"I know. I eat them exclusively between the hours of 10pm and 4am. You come in here a lot, don't you sleep …"

"Laurel. I have a law exam in like 72 hours okay, you can't judge how many cookies I've had, you just can't, they're what's keeping me sane!"

"I would never come between a woman and her cookies. Trust me, my mechanical engineering homework only gets done because lollipops exist. Besides, the other day someone brought blankets in and slept at a table. This is a judgment free cookie shop."

"Good," she said. Her exhaustion was catching up with her.

Laurel took a good, long look at Cisco. Did he ever stop smiling? It was exam time, he could have the decency to look tired and hollow like the rest of them.

"Now don't go telling everyone how nice I am but…" Cisco pulled a little box from under the counter, "I pulled your order just in case we ran out of anything."

Shit. That was cute.

"You are incredible, Cisco."

Laurel paid for her cookies and walked back to her dorm. The textbooks and notes she left in various positions on her desk and bed made no effort to sort themselves in her absence. Laurel sighed. She flopped on the bed and started reading through the notes, a cookie already in her mouth. Just a few more days and the test would be over. Half an hour later, there was no focus left. Her mind kept wandering to Cisco. Was he her cookie dealer now? Maybe. Eh, there were worse things to have. But his smile … no! Focus, Laurel. Cisco is not the answer to any exam question.

Two days later, Laurel was in full on cram mode. Nothing was going to lure her away from her work. And she meant that but … that also meant she couldn't pick up her study fuel. Laurel picked up her phone and dialed the cookie shop.

"Cookie Kingdom, this is Cisco."

"Cisco? It's Laurel!"

"Hey, Laurel! I was wondering when I'd see you. Did you call just to chat with me?"

"Maybe when this exam is over. Do you guys deliver? I can't leave my desk but if I don't get my cookies I might die. And I can't die before this test."

"Uh, yeah! Sure."

Laurel gave Cisco her address and went back to her books. Twenty minutes later, Laurel had fallen asleep on her desk. She jolted upright when Cisco pounded on the door.

"I'M UP. I'm up."

She stumbled to the door, rubbing her tired eyes. Sure enough, he was on the other side of the door flashing that bright, cheery smile.

"Did somebody order cookies?" he asked.

"You're a lifesaver! How much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it," he said, waving his hand.

"Cisco. I'm paying you for these."

"I already paid for them! It's done. You can't stop it now."

"I'm also tipping you for the delivery."

"I'm, uh, not allowed to accept tips on my break."

Cisco flushed the slightest bit and Laurel smiled. She was confused, but she smiled. His gaze moved to the floor. After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and pled his case.

"Okay, I'm just gonna come clean." Laurel raised an eyebrow. "We don't deliver. You just called and needed cookies and I wanted to see you so I took my break. I promise this wasn't some creepy way to try and get your dorm number I just – "

Laurel put her finger to his lips to stop him and said, "Cisco, it's okay. This was such a sweet thing for you to do."

"Really?"

She laughed. "Really."

"Could we, maybe, get non-sugar based food sometime? And, I mean, I don't wanna rush your answer but my break is over in like two minutes."

"Give me your phone."

Cisco handed his phone over and Laurel punched in her number.

"Here," she said, handing the phone back, "text me so I have your number. I'll let you know the minute I'm out of my exam. I'm on a strict sugar and coffee diet until then."

"Did you put a cookie emoji next to your name?"

"Of course I did. Now go finish your shift."

"Fiiiiine, I'll go," he sighed. "Knock 'em dead on your exam!"

Cisco flashed one last smile before disappearing into the stairwell. Laurel locked the door and sat back down at her desk. She picked up her highlighter and worked through it all again. Had stress caused anyone else to eat so many cookies in such a short span? Her phone buzzed underneath the pile of notes.

Can't wait to have dinner! - Cisco

Maybe it wasn't so bad.


End file.
